{{Sorry about the delay everyone. FF.net's upload feature has been down since Thursday! GRRRRR!}}

HEART OF A KING

Chapter 2 ~ Just after chapter 14 of Griffon (4 days after their return from Mordor)

"And then he ran from the room as if stricken with guilt," Romiël explained to Alede the following day after Thranduil's strange behavior, wringing her hands with worry.

Alede frowned and Romiël could see her considering the story. After a moment the healer once again kneaded Romiel's joints and the she-Elf still could not believe the lack of pain she felt.

Whatever Thranduil had done, it had worked magic on her.

Finally, Alede stood up. "Try not to worry. I have an idea what may be troubling him." She gave Romiël that comforting smile of hers and patted her good arm. "I will go and speak to him. Continue resting. I will return this afternoon."

~ ~ ~

Thranduil paced irritably amongst the rows of lavender. He was consumed with guilt, an emotion that was normally alien to him and because of it had found no rest the night before. In frustration, he raised his hand to rake his fingers through his golden hair, but they snagged instead upon the royal circlet. With a frustrated gesture, he whipped it off and hurled the gold crown into the field, not caring where it landed.

He was so distracted by his thoughts, he did not even notice the sound of hoof beats or see his stallion raise his elegant head.

"A costly item to toss away," a voice said quietly behind him.

Thranduil whirled around and found Alede holding his circlet and regarding him with that calm gaze of hers.

Irritably Thranduil turned his back upon her.

"I suppose you have come to find out what I did to your patient," he snapped.

"Not exactly," she replied. "Romiël is concerned about you and since she cannot walk yet, I came in her stead."

He winced as another pang of guilt shot through him. He should have explained to Romiël, not left her to wonder.

I am King! I need not explain myself to anyone, he thought angrily. But he knew it was not true. He would ease Romiël's worry as soon as he knew the cause of it himself.

"How did you find me?" he asked. He knew he was stalling. He also knew that Alede was fully aware of that fact as well.

"I didn't. Faunlend found her father."

Thranduil turned and glared at the mare, the daughter of his own stallion. But Faunlend well remembered Thranduil's temper and gave no heed to it. Instead she bobbed her head and blew gently, pricking her ears at him.

Thranduil snorted and turned to Alede. The healer had gathered up her skirts and sat down upon the ground. The lavender came up to her shoulders and bees hummed busily around her head.

"So, what did you do to my patient?" Alede asked, a small smile upon her face. Thranduil realized with chagrin that she was beginning to understand him perhaps even better than his family did. Somehow she knew that he avoided a greater issue than the one of his surprising healing abilities.

He clasped his hands behind his back and paced up and down the rows.

"Has Legolas told you that he nearly died when he was born?"

"No." Alede sat up in surprise, her eyes widening.

"He was premature. My wife had taken a fall from her horse when a spider attacked the path we were on. It was intended as a gentle ride, she was so tired of being in the palace . . ." Thranduil shook his head slightly at the memory. "I slew the spider, but the fall brought on her labor too soon. When Legolas was born, he was blue and we could not get him to breathe."

"He probably drowned in the amniotic waters," Alede said, her voice trembling a bit.

"Yes," Thranduil agreed. "That is what Lomomir said. I held my son's lifeless body in my hands. He was so tiny . . ." Thranduil paused a moment, remembering. "A strange sensation filled me, as if I had swallowed the sun. The light and the heat seemed to burst from me. I could not contain it." He shuddered at the memory. "When I could focus again, Legolas gave a tiny little gasp, shuddered and then began crying."

Thranduil stopped in his pacing and faced Alede. She sat, still among the lavender, but he could see from her face that she was analyzing all that he had told her.

"Lord Elrond had such an ability," she said finally.

"Did he?" Thranduil was surprised. He had never heard of it.

She nodded. "You know that Elladan and Elrohir spent much time hunting Orcs. Once, Elrohir came home alone. Elladan had been caught in an avalanche of stone and Elrohir had not been able to extract him, so he had ridden to Rivendell for help." Thranduil saw her shudder. "It was the only time Elrohir ever rode a horse to death."

She cleared her throat. "I went with them and once we had gotten Elladan out, it was obvious that his leg would have to come off. I could see no way to save it. But Elrond laid his hands upon him, light shot from his fingertips and Elladan's leg was restored."

She looked up. "I suspect that this is an inherited trait of Elvish royalty, an ability to heal the people you care about, much like the magic Legolas used to turn the hurricane from Eryn Culhallas. Elrond was never able to use it with as great an effect on others, though he did use it some. I think the hobbit, Frodo Baggins benefited from that ability when he was injured by the Nazgul. Lady Galadriel probably has the same powers, but I have never met her. You could ask Gimli. He might know."

Thranduil snorted, not certain if Alede were teasing him. It would be a cold day on Mount Doom before he would ask the Dwarf's advice. He started to reply, but Alede spoke first.

"I am guessing there is more to this," she said looking up solemnly. "I am guessing that when your wife died, this ability failed you. That is why you felt guilt in healing Romiël. Am I right?"

Thranduil turned away abruptly. Alede's insight did not surprise him. He had suspected that she would guess the cause. "I tried to heal my wife several times when she was ill, but the light would fade away and she would writhe in pain. She begged me to help her . . ." He had to swallow around the lump in his throat.

Lost in his memories, he did not hear Alede approach until he felt her hand upon his arm.

"It was not your fault. You did not fail." Her voice sounded reassuringly sincere. Thranduil wanted to believe her.

He desperately wanted to believe her.

"But my wife died . . ." he said finally, his twilight eyes betraying the turmoil in his heart.

"The Greymalcin," Alede said. "It was a creature of dark magic, remember? It would have absorbed your healing powers or been immune to them. Nothing could have saved her except for the method we finally used on the Greymalcin that invaded your body."

Thranduil frowned. Well did he remember puking his guts out because of that horrid creature. But he shook his head, regret still plaguing him.

"If I had sent for you sooner . . ."

"You sent for Elrond, not I," Alede reminded him. "I know not if Elrond knew of Greymalcins or not. Legolas was actually the one who realized what kind of creature it was . . ."

"Nevertheless," Thranduil interrupted. "Had I sent for you sooner, the diagnosis might have been made that much sooner and my wife might still be alive. Between the two of us, she might have lived!"

Beside him Alede remained silent and he knew that she too, was remembering the scene that followed his wife's death. He had been mad with grief, nearly out of his mind.

He took a deep breath. This was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

"I was wrong, Alede. I hope that you will see it in your heart to forgive my rash actions." He did not look at her when he spoke, but when the silence stretched on for several moments he finally glanced down at her.

Tears sparkled in Alede's eyes and she gave him a watery smile. "I forgave you a long time ago," she said quietly, "when I knew that I was in love with your son."

Thranduil cleared his throat and straightened his tunic. "Good, well . . ."

Alede handed the golden circlet to him. "Go explain all of this to Romiël. She deserves to know and she cares deeply for you already."

He glanced down at her in surprise, but Alede merely smiled at him and nodded him on, leaving the subject of Thranduil's feelings toward Romiël unspoken.

Thranduil walked to his stallion.

"One more question," Alede called after him as he mounted. "Was that the reason you and your wife had no more children, because of Legolas' difficult birthing?"

"Nay," Thranduil shook his head. "Ask Legolas the reason. I came upon him when he was a child explaining to his little friends why he had no younger siblings. He said it was because he was perfection and my wife and I feared for the inferiority of any further children."

And then he urged his stallion into a canter, leaving Alede and her laughter behind.

~ ~ ~

A/N: And just what will Thranduil say to Romiël, I wonder? ;) Find out in the next chapter! :)

Special thanks to Thecla, who is the real genius behind Alede's healer's knowledge. ;)

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments. I adore Thranduil and always have. In a way, he is more complex than any of the other Elves. He is so full of fire and conflict, impatience and strength.

I have a pretty clear picture of him in my head now too. For those of you who have the "Harry Potter - Chamber of Secrets" DVD watch the interview with Jason Issacs. He's in costume and make up for Lucius Malfoy, but of course he's out of character and not wearing the Malfoy sneer. *That* is Thranduil. Now just give him Alan Rickman's velvety purr and you've got the whole picture. ;) (And for those of you still not convinced about Alan Rickman - rent "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.)

** Firnsarnien - I've always heard that Elves had no facial hair whatsoever (like the Native Americans, maybe?). I don't remember if the Professor himself said that or if one of the scholars who studied him did. There was only one Elf in ancient history (and I can't remember his name, darn it!) who had a beard. But Thranduil certainly did not and yes, I picture him as looking quite young, probably 30s. Hope that helps. :)

~ ~ ~

*** Original Character List ***

Romiël - A she-Elf captured 700 years ago by Sauron as her people were making their way to the Gray Havens.

Alede the Green - Witch, healer and wizard. She is daughter of Radagast the Brown and Legolas' betrothed. But then, you already knew that. ;) lol

Maladok the Red - The fifth Maia sent to Middle Earth. After falling prey to an evil witch, he was changed permanently into a magnificent griffon. He flew Romiël out of Mordor after her release.

Malina - A healer and witch of the Angmar Mountains. She was married to Radagast the Brown and was Alede's mother. She was killed by a mob of religious fanatics who thought her witchcraft had brought plague to a village when instead she had been trying to cure it. Alede was only sixteen when Malina was killed.

Galomir - Ithilien's healer, son of Lomomir and nephew to King Thranduil.

Romion - Romiel's brother and also a captive of Sauron for 700 years.